Why is Documentation Necessary to Work On a Computer Science Project?

For every IT professional, software engineer and programmer trustworthy and reliable documentation is crucial. When everything is documented it helps to keep a record of all facets of a program or application and guarantee the improved quality. Its main purpose and aim is maintenance, expansion and transfer of knowledge. Software documentation refers to the written text or design that escorts computer software or is rooted in the source code. This documentation explains the operation and usage of software. Documentation of software is considered as a backbone of software engineering. There are five types of documentation; requirement, architecture, technical, end user and marketing. Requirement documentations are the reports that classify characteristics, competences, features, and merits of a system which forms the basis for implementation

As told by a coursework writing service, architecture documentation gives general ideas or synopsis of software. It includes environmental associations and principles of constructions used IN designing of the software. Technical documentation includes codes and algorithms. End user documentations are the manuals which help the end user to operate software. It usually includes instructions, guidelines and frequently asked questions. Marketing documentation consists of the product and market analysis and ways and plans for marketing the software. Forming good documentation for software is very crucial for a successful software generation, development and implementation. It is not just a boring task. Documenting your software means documenting the developer of the project.

Formats for Documentation:
There are many tools and formats for documentation available on the internet for online use as well as for printing. Generally, there are three common approaches for documentation; tutorial, thematic and list. The tutorial approach is considered most simple and useful from the user's perspective. This format provides step by step details. The thematic approach consists of chapters and sections and is designed for intermediate users. The third approach is called list or reference approach.

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In this format, tasks are listed in alphabetical order and cross reference indexes. This approach is designed for advanced users. Effective and proper documentation results in easy accessibility of information, provision of limited number of user entry points, quick learning, product simplification and cost reduction. The computer science project documentation generally includes following components regarding an application or software: database or files, server settings, corporate rules, troubleshooting, software installation and code placement.

Database and Files:
For porting, relapsing, sharing and roaming database information is required. The information regarding version, server and type of database helps in knowing data model diagrams. When the database is documented it offers structure modification, type reformation, indexes and keys addition, ease of control and debugging.

Server Setting:
Detailed and properly written server settings for software is very important and is an essential requirement. This detailed information helps in setting up applications and presenting location and function of the systems to run services. In the server setting necessary information regarding software name, software version, code directory, server name, URL, IP, operating system, point of contact and information about user account are specified.

Corporate Rules:
Corporate rules documentation supports fresh add-ons and provides information about how and why the product works. It also helps in quick learning.

Troubleshooting:
When troubleshooting is documented it helps to resolve the issues that arise in running production. Each technical issue has some error codes which are documented. Similarly frequently asked questions are also documented for aid in general and usual problems.

Software Installation:
When software installation and configuration is documented it helps the developers in setting up additional software environments. When stepwise and detailed information is provided then anyone can follow these steps accompanied with details and visual aid to successfully install software.

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Code Placement:
The code is the backbone of every application. Code documentation can be divided into numerous portions. Firstly, the comment blocks are most helping programmers who explain modules, procedures, parameters, and potential faults. The specific file documentations are generally produced through a third party script. Next part contains code repository information.

Tips for Documentation:

Documentation must be free of spelling and grammatical mistakes. For translating your document use professional translators so that the actual meaning of your documentation is not lost in translation. Documentation should be according to the standards of the international market. Although the documentation by professionals is expensive, it produces outclass results. You can save time by writing end user documentation with system documentation. Use visual aids, illustrations and bulleted lists for quick reference. These methods reduce the complexity and length of a document. Give examples for better understanding. Create your document in a way that not only helps targeted audiences but is also equivalent helpful for anyone with basic computer skills.